Author: Patrick McGarrity

We kicked off our Sharks season two weeks ago, and our first meet is already upon us! The other coaches and I couldn’t be prouder of how our swimmers stepped up to the blocks and how engaged the parents are. In my first post of the season, I mentioned that the continuity of the coaching staff was something the parents would notice right away, and from the feedback I have been given, I believe it to be true. Our coaching staff has exceeded every expectation I had. We also have so many junior volunteer coaches who have stepped up, it is really allowing us to give younger swimmers more one-on-one time, and that makes a huge difference. There are mornings where I have a smile on my face watching how well all of them are doing in caring for the unique needs of so many swimmers. Behind the scenes, our parent volunteers continue to work tirelessly to help make the season a success!

So let’s recap where we are and where we are going!

Shaking Off the Rust
The focus of the first two weeks wasn’t as much about going fast; it was about finding our feel for the water: Technique before speed. Our coaches spent extra time on the fundamentals—streamlines, basic stroke mechanics, starts and flip turns. We have mixed in all types of drills, relays, and even drylands to hopefully keep everyone excited and second-guessing about what comes next at practice. Going back and forth in the pool over and over isn’t the most exciting thing, so we are working hard to keep things engaging and fun.

Rising to the Challenge
The biggest challenge is also one of the most exciting – and that’s the 95 swimmers we have this season. While a positive – it means more friends, more relay opportunities and hopefully more “W’s” during the season, it also makes for a crowded pool at practice. To that end, we have tried to introduce stations during practice the last week. We split the 8 o’clock group up between drylands and pool time and we are going to continue it on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays – so bring a yoga mat those days if you have one. We have so many multi-sport athletes that this seems like it’s a winning idea. The biggest complaints came from our 9:15 swimmers who weren’t doing the same thing so we changed that up on Wednesday and had them doing some dryland work as well! If you have a swimmer in that 9:15 group who feels like they would benefit from doing drylands, come talk to the coaches and we can make that happen.

Welcome to the Family!
I want to give a massive shoutout to all of our new swimmers who joined the Sharks family this season! Joining a swim team can be intimidating—there are new terms, fast-moving lanes, and a lot of early mornings. You all handled your first weeks with incredible grit and positive attitudes. You’re officially part of the Shiver now! (“shiver” is the term for a group of Sharks – probably what you do if you see one while swimming). I have been incredibly impressed by the work ethic I saw from our new swimmers this week. The willingness to come to practice and learn has been outstanding.

Our First Meet:
Our first meet is tomorrow! For first time swimmers and parents – please ask us any questions you may have. A number of emails go out, but just how this whole thing gets run is a bit different than other sports where you mostly get to sit and watch your athletes. I want to highlight a few things:
Swimtopia: Download the app – this will have your swimmers events in it. Its also where you should have already declared them for the meet and chosen your volunteer positions! Most swimmers get their events written on their arms to help them keep track. We will either do that at practice or before the meet.
The Y Parking Lot – Bring your folding chairs and tents as this is where we camp out for the meet. You will be able to hear the announcer call out events. There is a possibility of some thunder storms tomorrow night – If that happens, we will have to clear the pool for 30 minutes.
The Clerk of Course – This is where your swimmer goes when their event is called by the announcer. It’s the staging area with benches by the back door to the pool. There are volunteers there who help put the swimmers in their lanes and heats for each event. They then walk them into the pool area when its time for their swim.
The Pool! Spectators should stay on the sides of the pool, or in the shallow end behind the roped off section. This allows our swimmers, officials, runners, timers etc… room to move around to where they need to be.

Eat healthy, get a good nights sleep and be at the pool ready to swim tomorrow!

Go Sharks!

The countdown is almost over. On Tuesday, we dive headfirst into another RSL season — a stretch of long days, warm evenings, and the unmistakable rhythm of splashes, cheers, and shared victories. Whether you’re a returning swimmer or brand new, this is the moment I’ve been waiting for – reconnecting with previous swimmers and getting to know our newest Sharks. There’s something special about the first week of the season – new goals, new friendships, and new stories that will carry all of us through the summer and beyond.

Earlier tonight we held our parents meeting – those slides are available here: Resources – Go Sharks! We shared a lot of information, but the one I’m most excited about is our Sharks Feeding Frenzy Relay Carnival. We are hoping to raise money to continue to offset rising costs and to provide the KG YMCA much needed aquatics equipment that we use every day in practice. We are setting a modest goal of 30 new pairs of fins to donate to the YMCA this first year. The website will go live on June 1st, but you should be able to take a sneak preview here: https://go.dojiggy.io/dahlgrensharks. We hope to make this a memorable event that we can continue for years to come.

For new and old swimmers alike, get prepared for Tuesday!

If you need caps, goggles, practice or team suits, or equipment visit our team store: Dahlgren Sharks Team Store. Items ship quickly and to your home! We have ordered swimsuit fitting kits, but they haven’t come in yet and we will let you know when they do.

The first week will be a lot of fundamentals and team building. We are going to be mostly focused on freestyle and backstroke including starts and turns. Two and a half weeks before our first meet on June 10th! We will have fun, but will also need to put in some work!

Fear the Fin! Go Sharks!

As always, If you have any questions, please reach out!

As we enter the home stretch of the school year, the Sharks board and coaches have been busy preparing for the upcoming season. I am thrilled to be coming back and coaching the Sharks again this year, and so excited to be working with Katelyn, Caleigh, and Sophia again. Having some continuity on the coaching staff was a priority for the board and I think swimmers and parents will see what a difference that makes right away. Most things will stay the same (have you been practicing your no breath 25s?), but we also have a new fundraising event we are working on that I think is going to be a lot of fun for swimmers. Nicole Myers has been busy working on the website and we are hoping to make that a place people go and visit more often. This coach’s corner is a piece of that, and I plan to make use of this space throughout the season.

While the date I am most looking forward to is when practices start on May 26th, there are a few other ones I want to point out:

We have two in person registration opportunities at the KG YMCA. New
swimmers can register, meet some of the coaches, and do their swim
evaluations (which is basically the YMCA swim test). If you are new to
the team and can’t make these dates, get in touch and we can figure
out another time to do the evals.
April 25th: 9am – 12pm
May 16th: 9am-12pm

Parents meeting:
May 21st – We are asking ALL parents, new and returning to attend the parent meeting. We’ll cover the meet schedule, volunteer roles, team gear and more. A successful swim season is a true team effort. Parents, we rely on your energy and support to make our meets run smoothly!

For those who are new to the team or reading this and thinking about joining – my contact info is on the site – feel free to reach out and ask questions.

Here I am going to try and address some of the most common questions I get:

What level of Swimmer does my child need to be to join the Sharks?
The Sharks welcome swimmers of all abilities, but this is not swim
lessons, so some basic swimming skills are needed. At our two in
person registrations, the coaches will be there to talk with parents
and evaluate new swimmers.

The skills that we are looking for are similar to a swim test to use the diving board or go in the deep end, but we look for more than just basic survival skills. An example is being able to swim a length of the pool with a freestyle stroke (i.e. not doggy paddle) while being comfortable with their face in the water (lifting it up to breath is ok – we can work on that!). If you have gotten your green band from passing the Y swim test or passed the Scouts swim assessment, you are probably ready to join the swim team!

What kind of commitment do we need to make?
We don’t have any sort of minimum commitment – summer schedules are busy with vacations, camps and other commitments. We have plenty of swimmers who are able to practice two days a week, or can only swim the second half of the summer. The more practices your swimmer attends, the more they will improve. Even if you don’t practice during the week, you can still attend the meet. The biggest thing for the coaches is to be made aware of when kids are going to be out – especially for meets.

My child has special needs – can the Sharks accommodate?
We do everything we can to help make the Sharks an inclusive team, often able to accommodate many different needs. In general, if your child can listen to instructions and can be safe on their own in the water within a group of kids, they should be able to swim. The RSL also allows for special exceptions to stroke and turn disqualifications so that a disability does not result in a disqualification every meet. Definitely reach out to discuss any specific concerns!

Summer swimming is about more than just fast times, we want to build
confidence, master swimming skills, and make some great memories with friends that last long after the season ends. Our goal is to foster an environment where every swimmer feels challenged, supported, and excited to jump in the water every single day.

Looking forward to the season!

GO SHARKS!

– Coach Patrick